Mutton Marag
Marag is the sort of dish that sits somewhere between a soup and a curry and refuses to be put in a box. Popular in Hyderabad and associated with the city's Muslim culinary traditions, it is essentially tender mutton swimming in a rich, aromatic broth, gently thickened with nuts and milk. There are no armies of spice powders here. Instead, whole spices, black pepper, herbs and slow-cooked mutton do most of the talking. Pour it into a bowl, throw in some torn naan and you have dinner, a spoon and a bowl doing the work of an entire thali.
Wazwan Rogan Josh
Rogan Josh is one of those dishes that proves you don't need a long ingredient list to make something deeply complex. In this older Wazwan-style version, there is no onion, garlic or tomato. The gravy is built around yogurt, fennel and dry ginger, while ratanjot is used to give the mustard oil its striking ruby-red rogan. It is aromatic rather than fiery, rich without being heavy, and a good reminder that sometimes the most interesting chemistry happens when you leave things out.
Kanakapura-Style Green Mutton Chops
This is the kind of mutton curry that doesn't believe in being polite. The green masala brings coriander, mint, green chillies and curry leaves, while black pepper adds a second, darker kind of heat. There is just enough coconut to give the gravy some body without getting in the way. Then comes the final tempering, where garlic, pepper and curry leaves hit hot oil and make the whole kitchen smell like trouble. Best eaten with ragi mudde, preferably with your hands and absolutely no apologies.